Entangled

11

Hinawakan ni Deniah sa balikat ang lalaki at bumaon ang kanyang mga kuko sa tela, wala siyang pake kong masugatan ang man ito. "You better fix this," singhal niya dito.

"Anong gusto mong gawin ko?"

Kumurap siya. Her lip trembled as she bit out the words. "Do something, damn it! Prove to my father this will be a real marriage or—"

"Deniah?" Nag- echo sa hallway ang boses nang kanyang ina, her mother's gentle, concerned voice checking if they were okay.

"Your mother's coming," he said.

"I know- oh no, baka narinig niya tayong nagtatalo. Do something!"

"What?"

"Anything!"

"Fine!" He grabbed her around the waist, dragged her body flush against his, and ducked his head. His lips crushed hers as his hands wrapped around her tightly so they were plastered against each other, hip to hip, thigh to thigh, breasts to chest.

The breath whooshed out of her lungs and she swayed as her feet cut out on her. She expected a precise, controlled kiss to calmly show her mother they were lovers. Instead she got hot testosterone and raw s****l energy. She got warm lips melded over hers. His teeth nipped. His tongue burrowed inside and plunged in and out with sheer command, bending her back over his arm to take every last drop of her resolve.

She hung on and gave it all back. Ravenous for his touch, she got drunk on his musky scent and taste, reveled in the hard length of his body as animal heat rose between them and pushed them over the edge.

She moaned deep in her throat. He slid his fingers into the heavy weight of her hair to hold her head still as he continued the sensual invasion. Her breasts grew heavy and full, and liquid heat pulsed between her thighs.

"Deniah, anong- Oh my God!"

Biglang humiwalay ang mga labi ni Dark sa kanya, habang siya'y tulala at inaninag ang mukha nito para makita ang kanyang emosyon ngunit naka- focus ang tingin nito sa kanyang ina.

"I'm sorry, tita Daisy." Ika nito ng nakangisi.

Tumawa lang ang kanyang ina at lumipat ang tingin nito sa kanya, still snug in his arms. "Pasensya na sa abala. Come join us when you're finished." At iniwan silang dalawa.

Slowly, Dark's gaze travelled downward.

She shuddered. She expected to see a fog of passion. Ngunit, wala siyang nakitang emosyon sa mga mata nito. Pati ang kanyang mukha ay kalmado. If not for the hard length pressed against her thigh, Deniah would have thought the kiss hadn't affected him. She was dragged back to another time and place, deep in the woods, when her thoughts were freely spoken and her trust shattered. The first touch of his lips over hers, the boyish scent of cologne rising to her nostrils, the gentle bite of his fingers on her hips as he held her.

Nanlamig ang kanyang buong katawan. Kapag tinawanan ulit siya nito, she'd call off the whole thing. If he laughed…

Kumawala sa kanya ang lalaki at dumistansya. Namutawi ang katahimikan sa kanilang dalawa.

"I think we solved our problem," he said.

Hindi siya umimik.

"Hindi ba ito ang gusto mo?"

She stuck her chin high in the air and hid every messy emotion that writhed like snakes in her belly. "I guess so."

He paused, then inabot siya nito. "We better present a united front."

Five fingers closed around hers with a graceful strength that brought tears to her eyes. She fought them back and decided she was in major PMS mode. There was no other reason why a kiss from Dark Arkel should bring so much pleasure, yet hurt so deeply.

"Okay ka lang?"

Pilit siyang ngumiti, with teeth ang gums na para siyang nag- aadvertise ng toothpaste. "Of course, okay lang ako. Brilliant idea by the way."

"Thank you."

"Basta 'wag ka lang manigas don kapag lumabas na tayo. Just pretend that I'm Sabrina."

Kumunot ang noo nito, "I could never confuse you and Sabrina."

The cutting remark slashed through her but she refused to show weakness. "I'm sure you're right. But you're no fantasy to me either, Pretty Boy."

"I didn't mean-"

"Forget it." Bumalik silang dalawa sa living, "pasensya na sa guy's, pero I think we better get going, it's late."

Isa- isa niyang niyakap ang lahat at nag- paalam. Hinalikan siya sa pisngi ng kanyang ina at kumindat, may naglalarong ngiti sa mga labi nito. "Hindi ko man gusto ang pagmamadali niyong maikasal," bulong nito sa kanya, "pero malaki ka na. Ignore your father and follow your heart."

Nanikip ang kanyang lalamunan, "thanks, Mom. Ang dami nating gagawin ngayong linggo."

"Huwag kang masyadong mag-alala, nandito kami para tumulong sa preparasyon."

Nasa pintuan na sila ng bahay ng humirit pa ang kanyang ama. "Deniah, the least you could do is postpone the wedding a few weeks for the family. Arkel, surely you can't disagree?"

Tinapik ni Dark ang balikat ng ama habang ang isa nitong kamay ay nakapulupot sa bewang niya. "Naiintindihan ko kung bakit gusto mo kaming maghintay, tito Chris. But you see, mahal na mahal ko ho ang inyong anak, at ikakasal na kami sa Saturday. We really want your blessing."

Nanahimik ang lahat, pati na si Parker na panay ang hiyaw. Deniah waited for the explosion.

Sa wakas ay tumango ang kanyang ama. "Okay. Pwede ba kitang maka-usap saglit, hijo?"

"Dad-"

"Just for a moment." Sinundan siya ni Dark sa kusina.

Deniah bit back the worry as she chatted with Danica and Delaney about bridesmaid dresses. She caught a glimpse of Dark's serious expression as he listened to her father. After a few minutes, they shook hands and her father looked a bit subdued as he kissed her good-bye.

Nag- paalam ulit sila ni Dark bago pumunta sa sasakyan. Nang nasa loob na sila hindi na mapigilan ni Deniah ang sarili at nagtanong. "Anong sinabi ni Dad sayo? Anong kailangan niya?"

Pinaandar muna ng lalaki ang sasakyan then pulled out the driveway and concentrated on the road in front of him. Nainip siya, "Dark, anong sinabi niya?"

"He was worried about paying for the wedding."

"Oh." Na- guilty siya, dahil nawala sa isip niya ang tungkol sa wedding expenses. Siguradong naisip ng kanyang ama na siya ang magbabayad, kahit na hindi na ganun ang sitwasyong ngayon. Di kagaya sa kanila noon na magulang ang gumagaston tuwing ikakasal ang mga anak. "Anong sinabi mo sa kanya?"

Napunta ang tingin ng lalaki sa kanya, "I refused to let him pay and told him if I'd done what he asked and waited a year, I'd accept his money. Pero dahil desisyon nating magmadaling mag- pakasal, I insisted na ako ang magbabayad ng lahat. So we made a bargain. Siya ang magbabayad ng tux nila ni Drew, ako sa mga gowns- including yours- at lahat nang gagastuhin sa kasal."

Bumuntong hininga siya at pinagmasdan niya ang lalaki sa ilalim ng mga ilaw ng mga paparating na sasakyan. Nanatiling walang ekspresyon ang mukha nito, pero naantig ang kanyang puso sa ginawa niya. "Thank you," she said softly.

He jerked as if her words punched through him. "No need. I'd never hurt your parents. No one usually has enough money to pay for a wedding in a week. And I understand family pride. I'd never strip them of that."